Part of the Course
by Evroe
Summary: A take on how they met. Delia POV.
1. Chapter 1

I remember very well my first encounter with her when I was training to be a Nurse at the London. I had never really taken a special interest in anyone in my life, not even famous singers or stars of the silver screen. I mean, I could appreciate beauty in them, but it was never something I dwelled upon for long. Some might think that strange, but I guessed it would take someone exceedingly special to get my attention. When it did happen it was instant, it was lovely and it was very surprising. And quite unsettling when I realised just quite what it meant.

It was my first time away from home, my mam and Wales. I loved my family and I was happy in the rolling hills where I grew up, they were all I had known and I would have stayed there forever if it weren't for me reaching the end of my high school education.

The longer I stayed in the house with my parents, the more I became aware of a feeling that if I wasn't careful, I might not end up being the architect of my own future and happiness. I had always been allowed to freely do as I pleased as long as it was within the realms of decency, but that was more to do with adventures in the countryside than real life decisions about my future. That was something I'd never had to think of before. But I was older now and I'd seen it with some of my friends who were beginning to, somewhat inevitably, do what their parents had done and their parents before them. Getting married and settling down to a life of producing babies and washing dishes wasn't for me just yet, I was most definitely not ready. Quite aside from the fact that there was no-one I would want to marry in my town, I'd never thought of anyone in that way let alone have thoughts of marriage to them. I knew I had to escape before the horrifying prospect of being proposed to by someone from school.

So it was, after seeing an advertisment in Dad's paper, that I very quickly made a decision to become a nurse and go to London. It was out of character and not thought through but it was all I could think of to delay the inevitable. Mam didn't approve, of course – she had my life all set in her imagination but the twinkles in dad's eyes easily betrayed his pride in his daughter and her small rebellion against her Mam; I suspect the only reason I was allowed to go was because of him. He just wanted me to be happy and I'm sure my desperation was not lost on him.

Upon arriving in London my senses were overloaded with new experiences; my eyes were continually finding themselves widened by new things I'd never seen or imagined before. For all the stories I'd heard and dreams I'd had about London, the realities were quite different. The devastation of the war was still very apparent and it was sometimes shocking. Parts of London were still under piles of rubble and seemingly, so were some of it's people, some of whom were in desperate circumstances – such a far cry from what I had ever known and it made me feel lucky; it also justified my hasty decision. I knew I had made the right decision to come to London and use my enthusiasm to help in some way. At first it was a little hard to get used to, my country girl sensibilities were heightened by all the different things I was being exposed to in this new world. Everything was bigger, louder and faster. Coupled with the new, sometimes grotesque, things I was learning about the human body in Nurses training, it really was dizzying sometimes. Though quite different to what I was used to, I relished the change of pace, it was exhilarating in the same way a brisk trek through the Welsh countryside always is.

I made friends with the other trainees at The London easily, I never had a problem making friends. Generally I liked people and the girls were nice. No one stood out terribly much as being a potential best friend, not that I was looking. None were like my friends from home, these girls were much more wordly, some had been through terrible things that come with war, seen things that they were too young to see, things I had only heard about but not quite believed to be true in the relative safety of the far coast of Wales. Despite this, their company and conversation was mostly carefree and easy, we laughed very much about the goings on in training and it made the whole thing more fun.

We were split into groups and each group were assigned to a specific Doctor and a trained nurse each morning and were to follow them on the daily rounds. We had been doing this since the first day and it became quite a useful learning experience getting around different departments of the hospital. It was during this exercise when I was unusually distracted from the doctors summing up of one particular patients ailment. Another group of trainees had seemingly caught up to ours and had entered the room preceded by the mixed sounds of heels clomping on the parquet floor and hushed whispers and giggles. I turned to see them enter just when they were filing into the room following their doctor. I was about to turn my attention back to the doctor and his description of dressing an ulcer when I saw her glide through the door. Time sort of stopped or seemed to slow right down. My eyes widened, she was unlike anyone I'd ever seen before, astonishingly tall and with such an air of stature about her that I couldn't possibly take my eyes from her – quite apart from the colour of her hair which, when I thought about it later – felt it could not be real it was so vibrantly red.

I'm afraid I must have been gawping a little because when she looked over to us before arriving at the hospital bed the group surrounded, she gave me a wondrously amused half smile that made me catch my breath. My heart seemed to just stop and I wondered if I was about to faint. After a few agonizingly slow seconds I came to, I snapped my mouth shut and swallowed hard. I was sure I had reddened and all of a sudden I had become very aware of how I was standing. I shifted onto my heels, turned back to the doctor who was beginning to make a move for the door and tried to compose myself. I made to follow the group but my body felt quite odd, like I wasn't in control of it, as I reached the door I turned my head to the other group of trainees searching for the hair that I knew would reveal another glimpse of her before I had to go on. As I did I caught her eye, began to smile and promptly walked into the girl in front of me who had stopped to let a doctor through, much to the redheads further amusement. Completely embarrassed now, I slipped out of the room feeling quite humiliated.

A/N. this is my first fic, be gentle.


	2. Chapter 2

I briefly wondered to myself what on earth had happened in that moment to make me lose control of myself in such a way, I reasoned that I must be coming down with something to feel so peculiar. For the remainder of my morning's rounds I could not see or think of anything else in my mind but that nurse, silently cursing to myself that I had not noticed who any of the trainee nurses in her group were. Also, quite distracted by how much I really wanted them to catch us up again just so I could see if she was real.

I had never in my life seen anyone quite so mezmerising. She certainly didn't seem to fit the mould of the other nurses I'd seen around the hospital. Replaying the morning's encounter over in my head, all I really became aware of was this unexplainable need to become acquainted with her.

Little known to me, Nurse Patsy Mount was a newly qualified Nurse working in Male Surgical at the hospital. I had already been there for a month before our paths crossed, or certainly before I noticed that they did. Caught up in all the new things confronting me and my desire to do well in my new nursing endeavor, I'm afraid I spent the first month so focused on the tasks at hand, anything even slightly outside of this bubble went unnoticed by me.

Later that evening, I was in the kitchen washing my tea things when Gladys Johnson strode into the mess. "Busby!" she called from behind me, startling me from my silent reverie. "Have you finished the whole pot?"

I turned from the sink, "I have not Glads. There's still half left. Help yourself it's still hot". She grabbed a dripping cup from the drying rack and began to dry it. Glads was my neighbour in the Nurses House, she was a London native from Deptford. Some of the stories she had told about growing up in this colourful place were quite fantastical, some more desperate. She was so young yet had already experienced so many things that it made me feel a bit like a babe in the woods, but she was always outwardly jolly and one to make the best of any situation no matter what it was – we got on well in that respect, I rather hoped that that's what I'd be like had I ever experienced any hardship.

"We caught you up on rounds today." she said brightly, "I tried to get your attention but I don't think you saw. You're terribly serious about all this aren't you Busby?"

I immediately felt myself colour, "Oh, no. I didn't see you. I'm sorry I'm no good in the mornings, I need a good few hours before I get in to the swing of things." Avoiding eye contact while my heart leapt into my throat; how fortuitous that Glads be in that group from this morning, I thought. I wanted to ask her anything and everything about her captivating nurse, I almost burst! Choosing what I thought was the least suspicious tack, when calm enough I ventured to say sarcastically, "I noticed your doctor though, he looks like a right old laugh!" followed by a playful grin.

With a giggle, she returned, "Hardly, oh I do wish I was in Sally's group. She has Doctor Handsome-Gordon. Isn't he just dreamy?"

"Oh yes, everyone's talking about him." I answered, "And what's your nurse like?" quickly moving the subject on before we inevitably got stuck discussing who's doctors were the best looking.

"Oh, the formidable Nurse Mount. Well, she's a bit scary but she's alright I guess. She's helpful if we get stuck but she's an absolute stickler for the rules. God help anyone who isn't quite thorough enough. Frightfully posh too. Strange really - I mean, why would you become a Nurse when you could just sit about idly spending all your dads money - I heard she's stinkingly rich. And why on earth would you live here? There is something quite mysterious about her."

Surprised and impatient to know more, I found myself asking "She's living here, in the Nurses building?" - how on earth had I never seen her before?

"Yes, you know, I chose to live here because it's better than Deptford. Why she would when she could probably just live in Chelsea is truly beyond me! Though, I do have lovely neighbours" she grinned.

"Why have I never seen her before?" I queried, expressing my thoughts out loud.

With a little frustration creeping in, she replied "Oh I don't know Busby. Because you're head is in the books all the time perhaps."

"I wonder whether she's friends with any of the trainees." I continued, desperately trying not to break the thread of the conversation.

"Why would you want to know that for?" she asked exasperatedly. To be fair to Glads, it was a good question, one I wasn't sure I really knew the answer to myself right now. She looked at me for a moment and then laughed, "I think she's a little out of our league if you know what I mean. I can't imagine her coming down to the chippy with us lot."

I thought about that for a moment, "No, I don't suppose she would," I concluded.

I had never given a thought about potential social class differences between the Nurses before, everyone I'd met so far had been on a fairly even standing – or at least, that's what I thought. Anyway, I seemed to get on with everyone no matter where they had come from – I put it down to curiosity about my exotic heritage. Glads had a point though, Nurse Mount was obviously quite classy, and by all accounts, in quite a different league to that of a girl from the Welsh Valleys. Disappointed that I knew the subject had been exhausted, and a little bit discouraged by what I'd discovered, I decided to head for my room to revise.

A/N. Again, reviews welcome.


	3. Chapter 3

All of a sudden I saw Nurse Patsy everywhere. In the hospital, around the Nurses house, and mostly in my thoughts. Only a couple of times did any conversation take place – if you could call it that. She would say hello, and I would only manage to look back to her like a rabbit caught in headlights never quite being able to say anything before scurrying off.

One particularly noisy evening after a long shift, I made my way down to the cellar in search for somewhere quiet to study, all I could think about was how exhausted I was. The light was already on and as I got into the room the door slammed closed behind me, I turned around to open it but it was jammed, "Oh sod it!" I breathed.

Out of the shadows to my left appeared a figure who announced in a perfectly clipped accent, "Oh, hello."

I turned to the voice and oh god, it was her. This realization made me a mix of absurdly happy and thoroughly terrified at the same time. Grabbing the nearest thing to steady me - it was a broom that was definitely not steady - and it instantly clattered to the floor. Nurse Patsy Mount then came to my rescue and said, "Ah, I, I beg your pardon, I'm Nurse Mount... Patience Mount. Patsy." She stepped forward and held out her hand, I took it.

"I rather think we're stuck in here for a bit." She continued as she let my hand go and reached down to pick up the broom, "The door has a knack to it and the lock gets stuck if it's not handled carefully as I found out once to my dismay. One of the quirks of this old building I'm afraid." She stood the broom back up in its place and paused as if waiting for my response. I looked wide-eyed at her, she looked different - she was blonde, I was at a loss for words, _again_. She continued, "That time I was on my own for about 2 hours before being rescued but I'm jolly glad I've got company this time." She smiled widely.

Here she was right in front of me, stuck in the cellar. With me. Alone. Together. Me and Nurse Patience, Patsy Mount. Pats.

My excitedness took on that familiar nervous tinge that crept into my stomach and chest - Oh god, what was wrong with me? The only concrete thoughts I had were that she looked even more beautiful close up. Her wide blue eyes struck me with their mixture of kindness and amusement. I felt my throat tighten while trying to form words that didn't reach my mouth again, things like introducing myself. She must think me so rude, or dumb! I hoped for dear life that my supreme awkwardness wasn't showing quite as much as I knew it would be. And then as if to confirm it she flashed that half smile and said, "Are you alright old thing?"

Willing myself to snap out of it so as too not look even more foolish than I felt, I managed to croak out "ah... Sorry, I guess I'm a bit surprised to…", oh bloody hell Delia think of something not completely moronic to say, "well, I mean I... you dyed your hair blonde?" It was all I could think of, and I really did want to know why she would change the colour of her hair when it was so beautiful as it was. Actually, she looked stunning either way. Taken aback she said,

"Oh, I suppose I got swept away with the whole Grace Kelly fashion, haven't you noticed everyone's doing it? She's quite lovely don't you think?" Her face flushed and she lowered her eyes, and as if wanting to change the subject she says, " I think it's… Gosh, I've just realised, you're Welsh!"

I was ridiculously delighted that she guessed where I was from, I began to smile and I instantly wanted to tell her all about home, I was missing it a bit so it felt good to have and excuse to talk about it. I laughed, and suddenly found my voice, "Yes. Is that ok?"

"Of course! It's a lovely accent you have." I felt myself grow hot. "How funny that I've been thinking you were just another Londoner when you've been harbouring this dark secret all along!"

Did this mean she'd noticed me before? My knees grew weak at the thought, "It's hardly a secret." I replied.

"It is when you never talk" she retorted in an amused tone. "Well we might as well get comfortable there's no telling when we'll be rescued. Will you tell me about Wales? Quite different to London, I expect."

It was that easy, you couldn't shut me up then. I began to recount all the lovely things about home, my family, and my childhood. Patsy listened to it all with a fascinated curiosity while I got carried away. Perhaps she was just being polite but something told me she wasn't just humouring me, which made me feel wonderful. She didn't seem at all like what I'd heard. She was genuinely interested, and smiley, and friendly, and not stuck up at all. They _were_ right about her being posh, though she didn't seem at all affected by it. And it didn't seem to matter that I came from a little village in Wales, in fact, I think she rather liked it.

"So I came down here for a bit of quiet and a cig, what's your excuse?" she enquired.

"I came here for a little bit of quiet too actually. The girls are making a racket up there and I have some revision to do before our exam next week."

"Oh, of course… anything I can help with?" she offered.

And that was that. We settled together on the dusty old settee and discussed points of anatomy. More than once I caught myself captivated by the shape of her mouth when she spoke and thrilled at the proximity to one another. If she noticed me looking she was too polite to say anything and I could have sworn she inched forward as the conversation went on. We'd been going thorough the subject, for about half an hour when we heard a thump and the door fly open. We'd been saved, and I had never wanted to be more "un"saved before, in all my life. Then Patsy magnificently suggested continuing the studying at the same place and the same time tomorrow. I'm sure I beamed as I agreed to it.

Then feeling emboldened by the most pleasant situation, I said, "Your hair looks lovely, though I _really_ liked it red. It think it was more... You." I smiled and without waiting for a response I headed back to the stairs.

I managed to steal a glance at Patsy as I walked away, she had a hold of some loose strands of hair that she twisted between her fingers and a half smile played across her lips.

And that made me beam again.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N - thanks for the comments so far, all are much appreciated. :-)

Chapter 4

When I reached my room, I'd felt as if I'd floated there, the smile hadn't left my face and the wonderful giddy feeling I had put an extra bounce in my step. I found that the party of girls causing all the noise has dissipated, I was left entering the room with just the sound of my thoughts softly replaying the conversation Pasty and I had had bouncing around in my head.

While I got ready for bed, I allowed myself to analyse our unexpected encounter. I thought of Patsy and how different to the other girls she was - and her friendly, and relaxed manner. She seemed to have this aura of _knowing_ about her; this worldly experience that wasn't like the other nurses. She had put me at ease, the way she was able to finally get me to talk and how steadfastly interested she was in what I said. It seemed like an expert tool she had acquired somewhere along the lines and skillfully employed at times most needed. I thought about how confident and assured she was compared to me, and my amazing new talent for falling to pieces whenever I saw her. I thought about how easy her company was and how it didn't feel at all strange, despite my lack of ability to communicate like a normal person. If anything she seemed intent on allaying my unease, I thought about how grateful I was for that and how, on my current form, I would never be able to tell her that.

As I tucked myself into bed, I thought of her sitting next to me on the settee, and how seemingly content she was to be in my company. A classy lady from high society London and a girl from a provincial Welsh village quite comfortable in each others company. I smiled at the thought. Gladys wasn't right about that. I recalled the dusty smell of the settee and that despite this, because of how close she had sat to me, I could actually catch her scent too - she smelled of a not unpleasant mixture of cigarettes, bleach and a hint of perfume or soap. And just thinking about it made me almost sense it again in the air. I felt a little thrill at this as I tried to accurately remember it.

I turned over on to my side and remembered the shine of her hair in the yellow light of the cellar and her sparkly blue eyes. How her strong, high cheekbones cast a shadow across her soft looking, porcelain skin in the warmth of the light. And I settled my reverie on her unbelievably full, red, shapely lips. I lingered there for a while until I was brave enough to reach my hand out to touch her soft lips with my fingers. I felt an instant surge of heat rise in my face mixed with pleasurable, quivering butterflies in my chest and tummy so powerful I needed to sit up. I exhaled deeply and regarded that feeling for a few moments, and I realised that although I'd never experienced it before, I knew exactly what it meant. I knew I wanted to touch Patsy's face for real and not only that, I knew that I wanted to kiss those lips. It made me feel strange and a little wicked to think I wanted to do that but I couldn't deny it. Was I the first person ever to think this way? I thought about all the boys back home that I'd never wanted to kiss, and the suggestive looks that some of the doctors would give me and the other girls, and how the thought of entertaining them was the furthest thing from my mind. My attention quickly returned to Patsy and it was slowly dawning on me why I had been acting so peculiar every time I saw her. These revelations becoming clearer in my mind certainly helped to explain why I had completely and uncharacteristically lost my voice and had become so clumsy in her presence.

I lay back down on the bed, and despite the newfound realisation of my growing feelings for Patsy and what it might mean for me, I shut my eyes tight despite myself, desperate for sleep to come and bring the new day and another encounter with Patsy closer.

I met Patsy in the cellar at the same time as the day before. In truth, I had been there a good fifteen minutes earlier than the agreed time such was my level of anticipation and excitement. Even though I felt quite confident about my knowledge on the subject of Anatomy, after becoming conscious of my feelings, and having thought about Patsy all day during training, I really wanted to see her arrive. I wanted to see her reaction to seeing me and watch her walk towards me. I wanted to know everything about her and see everything she did. God, I had it bad!

As Patsy arrived she did not disappoint - she flashed a breathtaking smile as she approached with swaying hips. Even I wasn't prepared for the jolt of pleasure that shot through my body at the sight. I had been sitting on the dusty old settee and leapt up from it, returning her smile with the best smile I could possibly conjure up. "Hello Pats" I said.

This made her cock her head slightly and retort, "Hel-lo… Deels!" We both laughed. Good start, I congratulated myself!

"Pats." She regarded, "I rather like that! How's the anatomy coming along then?" I flushed as I thought - God, if only she _knew_!

"Ah… I've been thinking about it non stop since yesterday" I managed. It wasn't a lie!

She chuckled, "Good for you, then we won't have to spend too much time on it tonight then, I hope" She must have seen the disappointment flicker across my face, "Ah, I just mean I'd much rather spend the time getting to know you better, I mean, more about Wales and …" she trailed off. We stood looking at each other for a long moment when she suddenly said as if she just remembered, "Anatomy! Shall we?" She gestured to the settee.

"Of course!" I exclaimed with rather too much gusto, Patsy looked at me with another amused smile and a queer look in her eyes as she sat inches away from me. Oh gosh, oh wow.

After five minutes of recounting points of anatomy it must have become clear to Pats that I didn't really need her help with the subject when she interrupted, "Deels, oh do come clean. You know all of this better than I do, don't you!"

I could not help the sly grin that crept on to my face and Patsy laughed. She relaxed back into the couch and fished around in her cardigan pocket for her cigarettes "Do you mind?" she asked as she pulled them out.

"No, of course not".

She lit the cigarette and took a few puffs. Neither of us spoke for a while until she announced matter-of-factly, "Deels, it's my birthday today."

"What? Oh why didn't you say so Pats? You should be going out for dinner, or a dance with your friends! Not promising to help me study!"

She glanced at me briefly, took another drag on her cigarette before saying slowly, "Well, actually I don't really celebrate my birthday… I haven't for a long time. Besides, before I knew you were an anatomical genius, I thought I was helping you!" She stubbed the cigarette out in a nearby ashtray and continued, "You're such a funny thing, I feel I'd like to get to know you better besides, I'd rather spend my time with someone I like than pretending to have a good time at the pub."

I reply without hesitation, "Oh. You have to do something for your birthday Pats… I could go to the pub with you, I'd like to do that. Maybe we could get a fish supper too? My treat."

It seems I had finally found my voice.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Again, thanks for comments. As someone who isn't a writer - just a fan – I always just hope this is believable.

Chapter 5

We'd left the cellar that evening with plans to have a fish supper later that week. I don't know how many times in my life up to then that I'd had a fish supper before but this one, without doubt, was going to be the most looked forward to.

"Why don't you celebrate your birthday Pats?" I probed after we'd been walking for a few minutes. We had set off from the Nurses Home not long after my shift finally ended. It had overrun and in my panic to be ready on time, I'd thrown on the first dress I could find in the wardrobe, touched up my lipstick and threw my hair up hurriedly. I looked respectable enough I guessed, but definitely not at all as knockout as I had planned.

Patsy had finished earlier in the day and had obviously had time to get ready. She'd put her blonde hair up in waves that were stuck to her head with Kirby grips and lacquer, she looked just like Grace Kelly in High Society. Better, in fact. She was wearing a white dress with green spots and she looked gorgeous. I guessed this must have been obvious to others too, as while walking along the road, I noticed the men who politely tipped their hats toward us all tried to catch Patsy's eye and I suddenly felt quite out of Patsy's league again.

"I suppose I've never really had anyone around to celebrate it with." She replied matter-of-factly. I looked to her for an explanation, "I rarely see my father, he's abroad so often with his business - he sends me a card and a little gift of course, but I'm afraid that's all the fanfare there is." she supplied.

I realised then that I knew so little about Patsy, for all the talking I'd done about Wales and my family she'd managed to give absolutely nothing away about herself. "And what about the rest of them, your mother, grandparents?"

Before she replied, she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. She then disclosed simply, "They're all dead."

She looked at me for a moment then as if to ease any awkwardness she explained quickly, "Typhoid took my mother and sister during the war. And my father's parents died when I was very young, I don't really remember them. My mother was from a military family, her father was a general who died in WW1 and my grandmother died while I was at boarding school." She spoke as though she wanted to get it all out and over with.

"I'm so sorry Pats." I said quietly as I looked helplessly to the road in an attempt to cover my chagrin. I knew it wasn't what she would want me to say, nor did it feel like the right thing to say. I cursed myself for pursuing the subject. Given the times - it was rare that any families had come through both wars without casualties. Again, I was lucky, all of my family had made it through them unscathed. I don't know why but I naively thought that Patsy wouldn't have suffered like others had either, given her background I guess I imagined they would have all been safe in their big houses but I shouldn't have been so careless - It was like I'd forgotten all about reality in my ardent curiosity to know everything about her.

I got the strong impression that Patsy was only scratching the surface of the whole story and when she wasn't forthcoming with more information, I knew not to push it further. I felt sure that she would tell me when she was ready.

We drifted into a companionable silence while we made our way to the Chip Shop. A stole a glance up at a reflective looking Patsy, I wondered if she was thinking about her Mam and I felt a pang of compassion for her that she had missed out on that bond. I thought about my Mam and her overprotective and fussy ways but the thought of being without her was dreadful. For all her faults I knew she loved me and had my best interests at heart.

It was the first time I'd seen Patsy without her confident armoury and I was overcome with feelings of tenderness toward her that made me want to reach out and hold her. Instead my hand caught her arm and I gave a soft squeeze. I offered her a gentle, understanding smile when she turned to meet my gaze, which prompted a grateful one from her in return. Buoyed by the fact that she didn't pull away, my hand found its way further around her arm.

When we reached the chip shop it was so busy that we decided to get our supper and take it somewhere quieter. Just as we were leaving with our booty, a scuffle broke out between two groups of men in the line for their supper. They had obviously been drinking in the afternoon and with raised voices, they cursed and pushed each other around in front of the shop. Patsy quite chivalrously shielded me from the fracas when it had come perilously close. With half a chip in my mouth, I tightened my grip on our supper so as to not drop it.

Just off a little way from us a lady, who had been waiting in line bore the brunt of a shove and crumbled to the floor unceremoniously. It all happened so quickly and Patsy after seeing I was safe, sprung into action like Wonder Woman. The lady had managed to hit her head on the pavement and now had a cut above her eye that even to my nurse-in-training eye looked much worse than it was. Even so, blood began to pour from it down her face. The men, clearly ashamed of themselves had made moves to pick her up but Patsy had got their first.

"Step away Sir," she asserted with an authoritative tone. With that, everyone in the vicinity of the shop stopped moving immediately, as if they'd been chastised by the schoolmistress.

"You have done enough damage here! I am a trained nurse, please leave this to me," she continued as she crouched down in her lovely dress and cupped her hand over the lady's eye to stem the flow of blood, which instantly begun to trail down her arm.

"You should be ashamed of yourself! You all should! You are not gentlemen. Please give us some room and be on your way!" She was furious.

I looked on with burning admiration and pride as these large, rough, burly men heeded Patsy's words without question. I found I had nearly eaten half of all my chips as if I was watching a show. Unfortunately the rest of the supper had been crushed in all the excitement and was now inedible. I gathered myself together and made my way over to help Patsy. After patching the poor lady up and establishing that there was no real harm done, the idea of dinner had been rather spoilt by then.

Patsy's dress had also been ruined by the whole affair and some of her Kirby grips had come loose rendering her hair in a bit of a state. I imagined that those men from earlier would now be looking at her for entirely different reasons now due to her dishevelment, but I thought she looked more captivating than ever after her heroics.

Feeling a little excited myself by the situation, I pronounced, "Pats, I have a bottle of whisky back at the rooms, you look like you could use some!"

She exhaled deeply, grinned and replied, "Do you know Deels, I'd die for one."

"Happy birthday!" I murmured forlornly, as I threw the squashed remains of supper in the bin outside the shop and we made our way back the way we had come.

"It seems you're destined never to celebrate your birthday Pats." I said disappointedly as I poured 2 whiskies. Patsy, who had taken up a spot on my bed because there was nowhere else to sit, exclaimed, "What do you think this is then Deels? You've gone and saved the day with your secret Whisky!" she smiled up at me as I handed her a glass. "It is my favorite, you know."

"Oh hardly, you were a saint back there. When do I learn how to take control of a situation like that Pats? Is that part of the course?" I giggled at the mock valor displayed on her face.

"No, it's just par for the course" she quipped. "Gosh, that reminds me, I forgot to ask you Deels, how did your test go the other day?"

"Oh it was fine. Your help made all the difference Pats," I cheekily grinned as I perched on the edge of the bed.

We continued in easy conversation about Patsy's training and how she made up for not being an anatomical genius by being meticulous about order and cleanliness while we finished our drinks. After a while I rose to pour another drink when Patsy reflected, "Deels, you certainly have changed. You never said boo to a goose when I first met you. It was quite sweet, but I'm awfully glad you do now. It's lovely to spend time with you chatting like this."

I looked back to her with a nervousness creeping in to my chest, "I'm sorry, never in my life have I repeatedly been lost for words like that. My Tad would laugh in your face if you told him about it... It's just that..." I began to crumble, "Well, I've never seen... Met anyone like... and... oh, gosh Pats, I don't know why I…" I didn't add that it was just every time I see you I lose all ability to construct proper sentences. But it was true, and it was time to face up to why that was the case.

That amazing half smile slowly appeared on her face. When she didn't say anything I bravely continued, "Patsy, have you ever met someone that makes your stomach feel tight and your heart skip a beat whenever you see them?" without moving, I caught her eye and I held her glass out for her.

She bit her lower lip and slowly got up from the bed all the while holding my gaze, then her eyes dropped towards my mouth as she reached for the glass. I died just a little. And then she said something quite unexpected. "Yes, I'd rather hoped that this would be the problem."

Thoroughly confused, I asked, "What do you mean?"

"Delia, I don't have to be a doctor to diagnose this one. I think you might be a little bit in love." Who was I kidding? Even though I'd never been in love before, I knew I was. I was wholeheartedly and madly in love with her.

Before I had time to think of anything else, she reached forward and gently squeezed my hand with that half smile turning into a full grin. Momentarily paralysed, all I could do was stare in return.

"You don't have to look so frightened." My hand was burning where she had hold of it. The searing look she gave me sent butterflies fluttering around in the pit of my stomach and I held my breath while waiting for the next thing to happen.

Softy, she confided, "I know what it's like Delia and believe me, I know just how you're feeling."

"You couldn't possibly..." I began incredulously and then trailed off. I was longing to tell her that she may have been in love before but not like this...

Briefly dropping her gaze to the floor, she stepped forward closing the electrically charged space between us. Looking up again with her voice now a whisper, "I couldn't possibly..." her eyes searched mine, "what…?" she gently challenged.

I felt like I had entered a parallel universe where things were now happening that I could not stop, my whole body felt like it was on fire, I felt my pulse all over, I almost couldn't believe it was possible to feel like this.

Patsy breathed through her teeth and her eyes, full of fervour, were pleading with me to be unafraid. In response, I tentatively reached out to do what I had dreamt of doing for so long and lightly touched her face, her breath hitched and sensing no protest I began to close the gap slowly, giving her time to stop me, she didn't. She as if to steel herself for what would happen next and in a terrified whisper, knowing what was at stake, I asked her if I could kiss her.

And following several beats where I could only hear our elevated breaths, she confessed with just enough unbridled desire to propel me forward, "Oh god, Iwishyouwould."


End file.
